Signing Day 2012

Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery
[podcast]http://extras.mysanantonio.com/audio/2012_HS_recruit1.mp3[/podcast]
Use above player to listen, or click here to download.

Offensive coordinator Travis Bush
[podcast]http://extras.mysanantonio.com/audio/2012_HS_recruit2.mp3[/podcast]
Use above player to listen, or click here to download.

Update, 4 p.m. — Just got back from the press conference and extended interviews with coordinators Neal Neathery (defense) and Travis Bush (offense). Will have those up within an hour or so.

Also, mea culpa regarding the press conference, which was not routed through the web site because of technical difficulties. (You can listen to a replay here) Had I known that, I would have been relaying comments via Twitter. As the kids say, my bad.

Anyway, interesting to finally see the full class (found here with stats and mugs at GoUTSA.com), not least of which is former Reagan superstar Marcus Wright. As I blogged a few weeks ago, a source had said this was basically a done deal, but indicated it wouldn’t happen for a while, presumably until he graduated from Tech in the spring.

So imagine my surprise to see his name on the list. Kind of dwarfed everything else for me, even though he didn’t do much at Georgia Tech, and will only be at UTSA for one year — provided, of course, he gets accepted into the graduate program and all of that.

I’m biased after covering all eight of his playoff games, in which dominated like no other high school athlete I’ve seen. If the Roadrunners can get even 75 percent of that — and it’s a huge if — this will have been a fantastic move. Even if he doesn’t, he’s done in a year and the scholarship goes back into the mix. As Bush put it, high reward, no risk.

Marcus is pretty media shy, but I’ve got a message in with him so we’ll see what, if anything, he has to say.

Otherwise, I’ll have those podcasts up shortly, as well as my stuff for tomorrow’s daily. Thanks for checking in today.

ONE LAST THING(S) — No guarantees, but sniffing around a little bit today, it sounds like UTSA is finished with this recruiting cycle. We can at least cross Waco running back Darrell Harris off the list; his coach said that UTSA’s offer fell off the table when another player accepted. Update, 8:30 p.m.: No go for El Camino (Calif.) College DB, either. Def. coordinator Matt Kirk says UTSA never offered a scholarship. Another Twitter misfire.

Also, Neathery and head coach Larry Coker both said they have yet to decide if Alamo Heights defensive end Skylar Nelson will grayshirt this year. At the very least, he will almost certainly be redshirted this season, which Nelson said he actually prefers.

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1:55 p.m. — Coker speaking. Former Reagan standout Marcus Wright is one of the four “new” names in the recruiting class.

1:45 p.m. — Just got the list for the first time. Four new names, including one that will definitely grab some attention. Wow. Props to David Flores of kens5.com…

1:30 p.m. — Mum is still the word on campus for another half hour, but Brian Hernandez of the sports information department said there are “a few” names — defined as somewhere between three to five — missing from the known list. The class is slated to go up at 2 p.m. sharp on goutsa.com, where you can also listen to a live feed of Larry Coker’s press conference.

For what it’s worth, Scout.com currently rates UTSA with the 123rd-best recruiting class out of 124 FBS teams.

11:30 a.m. — Everybody on my list is accounted for. Including the five early enrollments, 19 players are in, with MacArthur safety Erick Kinney apparently out (see below).

Will be heading home shortly to clean up for the press conference at 2 p.m. I should be able to speak to both coordinators after Coker is done, with my goal being two individual podcasts so they can break down the signings in their own words.

Can’t wait to learn of any unknown signings, as well as track the couple of offers that are apparently pending. Check back around 3-5 for more.

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UTSA will announce its third recruiting class via its web site at around 2 p.m., in conjunction with head coach Larry Coker’s annual press conference.

In the meantime, I’ll try to monitor who has signed and faxed in their Letters of Intent. So far we have:

That’s in addition to the four junior college players who have already signed — defensive backs Cody Berry and Brian King, quarterback Tucker Carter and linebacker Brandon Guerrero.

Coker also referenced a high school player, whom he wouldn’t identify, that has also signed and enrolled. I’m assuming this is Fort Worth Trimble Tech tight end Jordan Gray, a member of last year’s class who voluntarily took a gray shirt.

Update, 10 a.m.: Indeed it is. Gray said the LOI he signed last year essentially rolls over to this class. We’ll get the particulars this afternoon.

Update II, 10:15 a.m.: Nope, Gray is not the player Coker was talking about. That would be New Braunfels Canyon offensive lineman William Cavanaugh, who is already on campus at UTSA according to the NBC coaching staff.

A couple of interesting tidbits are floating around via Twitter and elsewhere (here and here) so we’ll see what rolls in over the next few hours. This list will be updated constantly until the class is officially unveiled at 2 p.m.

Update III, 11 a.m.: Nelson said yesterday that his status with UTSA as an immediate entry or gray shirt hinged on the decision of another unknown prospect who was apparently mulling over an offer from UTSA.

Turns out there might be at least two: Waco running back Darrell Harris and El Camino (Calif.) College defensive back Royce Lewis. As you can read via the links provided above, both seem to be holding out for more and/or better offers while the Roadrunners wait.

No idea what’s going on with either, but I’ve got messages in with both schools so we’ll see what happens.

NOTES

* Just spoke to MacArthur coach Ben Cook (10:30 a.m.), who said he did not receive a Letter of Intent for Brahmas defensive back Erick Kinney. Cook said he had not spoken to any member of the UTSA staff, but I think it’s probably safe to assume Kinney won’t be attending after his recent trouble.

* Brinkmann (6-6, 260) committed to UTSA two weeks ago during its “home run” weekend, as Coker put it. Interesting background, as he’s a former basketball player who had never played football on any level before this season.

His coach, San Antonio native Clint Hartman: “He legitimately did not even know how to put pads in his pants. But he started for eight games on the offensive line, then two games at end in playoffs. He had three sacks and just dominated. He is special. He’s physical, he’s very smart. He’s got huge upside.”

* Zach Conque’s father Clint said his son held firm with UTSA despite a huge late run from New Mexico, which flew to Little Rock twice over the final two weeks in an attempt to pry him loose. “These last two weeks have been rough,” Clint Conque said, “but he’s a kid of his word.”

Conque, also the head coach at Central Arkansas, wasn’t able to tempt his son to the same level. “He was consistent with me. He always said no.”

* Mohair, perhaps the most versatile player in the class, said there have been no changes to the plans to try him out first at safety, while also returning kicks.

* Warren linebacker Dalton Miller will join the Roadrunners as a preferred walk-on. “He had some other offers, but he was pretty fired up about UTSA,” Warriors coach Bryan Dausin said. “They embraced him.”